NBA Draft 2014: The best five picks and trades

Chicago Bulls, Orlando Magic, Miami Heat and Charlotte Hornets among the teams which made the smartest picks and the shrewdest trades.

The 2014 NBA Draft went down with very few surprises, as teams made solid picks from the hugely talented pool of players. There were no major reaches or blockbuster trades, but a few moves stood out as particularly smart. Here are the top five.

1. Hornets draft Noah Vonleh

Charlotte got the steal of the draft by selecting Vonleh with the ninth pick. The Indiana man was predicted to go among the top five in most mock drafts. Vonleh can do it all at the power forward position, and his shooting, athleticism and shot blocking makes him an ideal fit alongside Al Jefferson. The Hornets could be good next season.

2. Magic trade for Elfrid Payton

Orlando raised some eyebrows by taking Aaron Gordon with the fourth pick when Dante Exum was available. The Magic needed a point guard, but they got their man later in the draft by trading for the 76ers' tenth pick and taking Payton. He is another tenacious defender to pair with Victor Oladipo in the backcourt.

3. Bulls make deal for Doug McDermott

Chicago are focused on clearing cap space to pursue LeBron James or Carmelo Anthony. Sending the 16th and 19th picks to the Nuggets in exchange for McDermott gives them with a little room. The Bulls needed shooters, and with this move they grabbed one of the most versatile scorers in the draft.

4. Cavaliers select Andrew Wiggins

Cleveland had a choice to make at the top of the draft. They could take Wiggins, Jabari Parker, or trade down and draft Joel Embiid. They made the right choice by grabbing Wiggins. His tremendous defensive ability makes him a good fit on the Cavs' roster, and if he lives up to his potential he could easily turn out to be the best player in the draft.

Miami got their man in Napier, LeBron James's favourite player in the draft. The Heat are looking to convince James to stay after this offseason, and getting Napier is a good first step to keeping the four-time MVP. They needed an upgrade at the point guard position after Mario Chalmers' no-show in the NBA Finals, and Napier could start from day one.

Jack Green

I'm Jack, an English Literature graduate from London, trained in journalism at the Press Association. I'm passionate about European football, particularly the Premier League and La Liga. I also love watching and writing about basketball, American football and boxing.